The Reformation of Caline Bustier
by Rose Thorne
Summary: Caline Bustier isn't sure how to resolve the tension in her class, until she arrives to find a package on her desk.


**The Reformation of Caline Bustier**

by Rose Thorne

Disclaimer: I don't own _Miraculous Ladybug_ and make no money writing fic.

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_Chapter One_

Caline Bustier made habit of arriving to Collège Françoise Dupont early daily, reaching her classroom with time to set up for the day and consider the social lessons she wished her students to learn. Only when she was ready would she join her colleagues in the lounge for coffee.

Today, the first order of business was considering the rift that had started to grow between Marinette Dupain-Cheng and her classmates. The girl had been doing so well all year—becoming a leader, showing her peers how to behave through a finely-set example. But no longer.

Caline couldn't understand how the class had gotten to this point, divided, in discord. Worse, she had no idea how to fix it—not with Marinette's apparent grudge against Lila. That Marinette couldn't accept Lila's apology and disability,and forgive its effects… It was disappointing.

Certainly, it wouldn't be solved overnight, she knew. But it only she knew where to begin.

A brightly wrapped package on her desk caught her eye suddenly. A gift, wrapped beautifully with ribbon and a note.

_I found this particularly helpful in times of classroom difficulties. —a friend_

Someone had noticed? Caline's face grew hot, and she had to pull out her chair to sit down, horrified and embarrassed.

But… as she calmed down she realized this was someone who cared. Someone who was discreetly offering her help.

Carefully, she pulled off the ribbon and unwrapped the gift. As the tape gave way under her fingernails, she pulled the paper aside to reveal a book with a while cover accented in blue.

_Breaking the Cycle: Ending Classroom Bullying and Building a Classroom Community_

A further subtitle indicated it focused dealing with bullying, including bullies, victims, and enablers.

The back cover indicated it would help her deal with bullying and reform bullies.

Perhaps this was just what she needed.

Caline immediately flipped to the first page. She was so engrossed, she startled when the door opened to reveal Max Kanté, always the first pupil to arrive.

She had missed the chance to have coffee with her coworkers.

Setting the book in a drawer so as not to have any of her students stumble upon it and think her incompetent, Caline decided to take the first bit of advice from the book: draw up a seating chart.

The book advised that allowing students to choose their own seats was likely to create problems, and that seating charts should be changed up at times. It also advised using the seating chart to help students grow, placing them near peers who had different skill sets or personalities that would complement.

Really, Caline had wanted an excuse to move Kim to the front for a while—less distraction. So, drawing out the seats on a piece of paper, at the table near the door she put Kim. For a calming influence, she assigned Nino to sit with him.

She didn't want to completely separate Adrien from his friend—the boy seemed so lonely—so she placed him across the aisle from Nino.

Caline wanted to keep an eye on Marinette, and knew she could take good notes for Adrien when he was out for photo shoots, so she placed her as Adrien's tablemate. His well-mannered obedience would hopefully rub off on Marinette as well.

The rest of the layout had similar logic—Sabrina and Max behind Kim and Nino. Separating Sabrina from Chloé might help her become less dependent, and she and Max could help Lila, who she placed behind them alone, as she had so much to catch up on. She didn't want poor Lila isolated in the back, but she needed space to herself for when she was doing makeup work.

She placed Juleka and Rose behind Adrien and Marinette. Caline knew better than to try to separate the two girls, and they were so sweet they'd be perfect examples for Marinette.

Behind them and across the aisle from Lila, she placed Chloé and Alix. This separated Chloé from Sabrina and Alix from Kim—Caline rather hoped this would lead to fewer dangerous dares. She also knew Alix could handle Chloé.

Behind Lila, she placed Nathanaël and Ivan. This kept Ivan clear of Kim's taunting and gave him a calm seatmate. Across the aisle from Ivan, she placed Mylène, who would also serve to calm him, and Alya. Alya had instilled confidence in Marinette at the beginning of the school year, and perhaps could do the same for Mylène.

Front of class

Kim, Nino, Adrien, Marinette

Sabrina, Max, Rose, Juleka

Lila, Chloé, Alix

Nathanaël, Ivan, Mylène, Alya

The seating chart finished, Caline let out a soft sigh of relief. It could mark a new beginning for herself and her students, one that some of them especially needed. She should have done it when the students had worked to accommodate Lila, but it was never too late to correct an oversight.

More students had filed in as she had worked, and it was nearly time to begin. She started drawing a blank seating chart on the board, not filling in names yet, ready to announce each slot to her students. Many of them would be recalcitrant, but Caline was certain the change would lead to a better classroom culture.

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CheshireMadd helped me come up with the title. Self referential ftw. Fake subtitle is "Smacking Bustier With the Clue Stick."

Also the referenced book doesn't exist, but is based on a lot of resources, including existing books.

Bustier is gonna make you mad at first, for real. She obviously has issues in the series.


End file.
